Monday, December 02, 2013

Holiday Stress—Dealing with the Contradiction

Chaplain Pierce McIntyre offers helpful insights and
prayers for dealing with every day life in his regular e-mails to friends and
colleagues. In a recent e-mail, he
pointed out that there is an inherent contradiction in the term “holiday
stress.” A holiday is “a celebratory day, break, day
of rest or vacation.” Stress means “anxiety,
impatience, and nervous tension.” The
two really don’t seem to go together, but we know that they exist in
combination too often these days.

We are now immersed in the “holiday season’ that is
inaugurated with Thanksgiving, reaches its peak with Christmas, and then closes
out with New Year’s Day. This is a time
of feasting, visiting, giving, reflection, and worship for most of us. As McIntyre notes, however, it is often a
time of stress as well.

So how do we deal with the stress? What are some things we can do to deal with
the stress?

First, we can set priorities. What do we really value not only during the
holidays but everyday? If we value
family, we will make sure that the holidays are times of sharing and creating positive
memories together. If we value giving time
to others, we will structure such time into our lives. Holidays are different from the normal flow
of life but they can still reflect the values we embrace and put first.

Second, we can take the time to give back. During the
holidays, we become even more aware of the gap between the haves and the
have-nots. Many struggle in a number of ways—to
have food on the table, to have safe and comfortable housing, and to provide
for their families. Those of us who have
so much become more aware of those who have little. Providing meals, support, and assistance for
those in need may give us a head start on a new way of behaving in the New Year.

Third, we can take the time to nurture and enjoy
relationships with family and friends. Take the time at parties, dinners, and other
gatherings to really connect with others and show appreciation for them. Even if we are geographically separated from
those we love, we can call, write (remember old-fashioned cards and letters?)
and find other ways to communicate.

Finally, we can commit time to prayer and reflection. This is a holy season. We give thanks for the
fulfillment of God’s promise in the Son, Jesus Christ, and consider what it
means for our lives. Although the change
in calendar from one year to another is totally arbitrary, the move from 2103
to 2014 provides opportunities for us to assess where we have been and where we
might go in the future with God’s help.

Holiday stress is a reality, but we can commit ourselves
to emphasize the first part rather than the latter part.

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About Me

I consider myself an itinerant educator. My time is spent in encouraging and equipping ministers through my work with the Central Baptist Seminary and Pinnacle Leadership Associates. I also do volunteer work with my church in the area of leader development. Other time is devoted to reading, writing, traveling, and spending time with grandchildren and my wife, Rita.